The Team Presentation for this year's Tour de France was more than a traditional introduction of 23 squads and their riders in a fashion show of gleaming bikes, newly-installed national champions and limited-edition outfits. Barcelona turned the team presentation into a one-and-half-hour cinematic experience, blending sports with circus, dance, music, and popular structures created by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí.
The Spanish city made a splashy debut Thursday evening for its debut as the Grand Départ for the French Grand Tour. The teams paraded 850 metres along the famous pedestrian boulevard of Avenue de Gaudí.